Boot or shoe cleaner.



No. 67!,169. Patented Apr.;. 2, I901.

N. M, POWELL.

BOUT 0R SHOE CLEANER.

(Application filed Nov. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Wii asses v j 020674 j fi a 2 I g I I g e/ fim zys TATES PATEN NOAII MONROE POWELL, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. GOVERT, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOT OR SHOE CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 671,169, dated April 2, 1901. Application filed November 9, 1900- Serial No. 35,976- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNOAH MONROE POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Boot ing devices with a kicking action, the said means being strong and durable and easily set up in operative position.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the improved cleaner. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the resilient supporting devices.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a baiseor bed, of any suitable form and material, that will be securely held in fixed position, or the said base or bed may be a portion of a step or porch-floor to which the remainingdevices composing the cleaner may be secured.

The cleaner embodies two oppositely-disposed brushes 2, having the bristles turned inwardly toward each other and held in elevated position by resilient wire frames comprising substantially U-shaped horizontal members 3, with the legs intermed'iately bent and upturned vertically to provide supports 4, having terminal eyes 5. The said frames when applied have the horizontal portion of one leg of each arranged inside the similar leg portion of the other and in close relation, the said horizontal leg portions being secured by staples or analogous devices, and as both frames are pushed into each other as far as possible the complete support for the brushes will be solidly and strongly braced to render it durable to withstand the strain brought to bear thereon during the operation of the brushes. By the arrangement of the frames as set forth one support 4 of each frame rises vertically on each side, and the pair of supports on opposite sides have their terminal eyes 5 secured to the backs of the brushes 2. By this means the brushes are maintained in proper spaced relation, and the interspace between the inner terminals of the bristles is always preserved in accordance with the initial arrangement, and when the boot or shoe is thrust between the said bristles the supports yield sufficiently to permit the full entrance of the boot or shoe, but exert an inward pressure strong enough to efiectively carry on the cleaning function of the said brushes during the kicking action imparted to the boot or shoe, and thereby thoroughly remove the mud or other accumulations on the latter. By the arrangement of the frames as set forth a further advantage is gained in distributing the strain equally over both of the same, and a very light, durable, and cheap supporting means for the brushes can be used and of a nature which will afford means for readily removing the deposits from the brushes that may collect within the confines thereof.

The brushes may be of any preferred type, and those already found in the market for cleansing purposes are preferred.

The parts may be suitably ornamented, and changes in the form, size, proportions, and minor details may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a boot or shoe cleaner, the combination with a base-rest, of wire frames having pairs of upstanding supports on opposite sides, the one support of each pair being a part of a different frame, and brushes having the terminals of said supports secured thereto.

2. In a boot or shoe cleaner, the combination with a base-rest, of a pair of wire frames having horizontal portions and legs intermediately bent to provide upstanding supports,

the frames being fitted into each other to haye In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the horizontal portion of the leg of one inside my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the similar portion of the other to have a. pair the presence of two Witnesses.

of said supports on each side and the one snp- NOAH MONROE POWELL. 5 port of each pair being a part of a different Witnesses: frame, and brushes to which the upper ter- JOSEPH N. CARTER,

minals of said supports are secured. N. S. PROOTOR. e 

